Filtration systems are an important aspect of ensuring healthy conditions in swimming pools, hot tubs, plunge pools, and other recreational water venues. Filtration systems are used to remove pollutants and contaminants to reduce turbidity and to promote visual clarity of the water. Contaminants are often introduced into pools by environmental sources such as windblown debris, external unsanitary water sources, and droppings from animals that contain potentially harmful pathogens. Other contaminants are introduced from the swimmers and can include sweat, bodily oils, suntan lotion, urine, and fecal matter. In addition to contributing to high turbidity, contaminants can also react with disinfectant chemicals to produce chloramines and other disinfection by-products, which can contribute to adverse health effects.
In general, there are four pool filtration technologies currently used in the art: diatomaceous earth filters, pressure-fed sand filters, gravity sand filters, and cartridge filters. Typically, each filter type requires manual cleaning to prevent fouling and high pressure operation. Disassembly of the filter is often a laborious task, and manual backwashing of the filter often results in a loss of filter material that must be replaced before use. Additionally, if the filters are not cleaned regularly, high pressure operation can lead to costly and inefficient energy operation.